Machine for washing cans and the like



June 13, 1933. J. M. McLATCHE 1,914,144

MACHINE IOR WASHING CANS AND THE LIKE lfiledlAprilv 17'. 1930 17sheets-sheet 1 BY @MQ ATroRNEY A June 13, 1933. J. M. MccLATcHlE V1,914,144

n MACHINE FOR WASHING QANS AND TH 'LIKE Filed Apm 17, 1930 17sheets-sheet 2 ,2/5 w 95 k f 300 59 ATTORNEY June 13, 1933. J.fMlvlccL-.n-CHIEA 1,914,144A

I MACHINE FOR WASHING' CANS AND THE LIKE- Filed April 17, 1930 l17`sheets-sheet'3 June 13, 1933. J. M. MccLA-rcHlE MACHINE FOR WASHINGCANS AND THE LIKE Filed April 17, 1930 17 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY June13, '1933. J, MQ McLA-rcHlE MACHINE Fon WASHING cANs AND THE LIKEFiledpril. A1'7; 195o 17 sheets-sheet 5 INVENToR Jw/V /Vf'zac/x/E Mli@ yMa/1f -J'1mtef13, 1933. J. M. MccLATcHlE A MACHINE FORv WASHING CANS ANDTHE LIKE Filed April 17, 1930 1 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 .RLS

N%\ MW Zara/ms' uw Q @van N ATTORNEY June 13, l933- -J.fM.McczL'A-rcl-HE 1,914,144 n .MACHINE FOR WASHNG CANS AND THE LIKE i FiledApril 1v, 195o' 1v sheets-sheet .v

N .A y I ATTORNEY June 13, 1933. C* J. M. MccLATcHlE 1,914,144

'MAQHINEFOR WASHING cANs AND THE LIKE 17 Sheets-Sheet 8 Fild April 17;195o 'l June 13, 1933. J. M. MccLA'rcHlE 1,914,144

MACHINE WASHING CANS AND THE LIKE Filed.April 17, 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet 9INVENTOR ATTORNEY .lime 13, 1933.

J. M. MccLATcHlE 1,914,144

MACHINE FOR WASHING CANS AND THE LIKE 17 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed April 17.1930 ATTORNEY J. M. MGCLATCHIE .MACHINE FOR WASHING ANS AND THE LIKEJune 13, 1933.

Filed April 17. 1930 1'7' Sheets-Sheet 1l BY v v ATTORNEY June 13, 1933.J. M. MCCLATCHI MACHINE Fon WASHING cANs AND THE LIKE Filed April 17,1930 17 Sheets-Sheet l2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 13, 1933. l J. M.MccLATcHlE 1,914,144

l MACHINE FOR WASHING CANS AND THE LIKE Fi1ed.Apri1 17, 195o 1vsheets-sheet 15 ATTORN EY June 13, 1933 J. M. MccLATcHlE 1,914,144

MACH'IN FOR WASHING 'CANS AND THE LIKE Filed April 17, 1930 17SheetS-Shet 14 ATTORNEY 1 June 13, 1933. J. M. MccLATcHlE MACHINE FORWASHING CANS AND THE LIKE 17 Sheets- Sheet l5 Filed April 1'7, 1930 wwwJune 13, 1933. J. M. MccLA'rcHlE MACHINEIAOR WASHING CANS AND THE LIKEFilevd April 1,7, 1930 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 1G ATTORNEY INVENTOR June 13,1933.

J. M. MCCLATCHIE MACHINE FOR WASHING CANS AND THE LIKE Filed April 17,1930 ATTORN EY 17 Sheets-Sheet 17 INVENTOR JV-362 anw/5 comprises acarriage Patented June 13, 1933 UNITEDQSTATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN M.MCCLATCHIE, 0F

NEW YORK, N. Y., A

NEW YORK, N. Y.

incarna Foa WASHING cans 'AND THE LIKE' Application led Aprila?,

The invention relates to an improvement in machines for washing cans andthe like, and more particularly to an improvement 1n machines forwashing, sterilizing and drying the relatively large cans used ortransporting fresh milk from the point of production to the receivingand treating stations.

The object of the invention is to produce a can washingy machine whichis cheaper to build and operate, is smaller, more compact and composedof fewer parts, and is more eicient and durable than the can washingmachines heretofore constructed or proposed.

In accordance with this object one feature of the invention consists inthe provision o novel means for advancing the cans through the machine.In machines of this character the universal practice is to hold thecanin inverted position while subjecting the 1nterior or inner surfacesof the can to the cleansing operation. It has been found that the mosteiicient andthorough-cleansing is secured when the nozzles of thecleansing devices are inserted in the cans during the washing,sterili'zing and drying operations. For this reason it has beenproposed, either toI lower the cans over fixed nozzles or to hold thecans stationary and lift the nozzles into them, and machines embodyingboth of these arrangements have been built and'used. But such machineshave heretofore been compl1 cated in construction and consequentlyexpensive. In the machine of the present invention there is provided astationary, longitudinally-extending can support, wlth a series offixed, equally-spaced nozzles projecting upwardly from the can support.The means for advancing the cans through the machine, that is, along thesupport, and 4for successively placing the cans over the nozzles havinga four-step cycle of movements, first, upwardly, lifting the cans clearof the nozzles; second, forwardly, advancing the cans one step towardthe discharge end of the machine and positloning the cans over the nextsucceeding nozzles; third, downwardly, loweringthe cans over' thenozzles and placing them on the can support; and fourth, rearwardly,returning free of the cans to the initial point in the cycle 'sequentlyall the cans are 1930. Serial No.'44{1,963.

of movements. The can transporting carriage is preferably a single unitand is shorter than the can support by about the length of onelongitudinalstep of the carriage. Cony lifted, advanced, and depositedover the nozzles simultaneously. The means for imparting thefourdirectional cycle of movements to the carriage comprises a pair offour-sided internal gears attached to the carriage and actuating meanscooperating with the gears.

Another feature of the invention relates to the nozzles for directingthe cleansing fluids against the interior surfaces of the cans.

f The tops of the nozzles all terminate on sub-- 55.

stantially the same level, and the distance ,the nozzles extend upwardlyinto the cans is that which will give the most effectiveness to thestreams of fluid directed into the cans. Moreover the efficiency of thecleansing operations is increased by a novel arrangement of theapertures in thev nozzles, both in the nozzles for'direc'ting theliquids into the cans and in the nozzles for directing the steam forsteriliziiig the interior surfaces of the cans, i

so that these operations are most effectively performed. The nozzlesthrough which the liquid passes have tapered apertures, securing greaterforce in the streams of liquid discharged against the interior surfacesof the cans; and the nozzles directing the steam into the cans are soarranged that only live steam contacts with the inner surfaces of thecans, the condensate accompanying the steam being separated out.

Another novel feature of the invention relates to means for uprightingthe can after it has passed-through the cleansing operations and beendried. Advantage is taken of the downward stroke of the can carriage toeffect the summersaulting 0f the caninto upright positionwithoutemploying any other moving parts than the carriage itself;

Another important feature of the invention is the reduction in thenumber of moving parts of the machine and the factv that the movingparts Jwhich are employed all receive their actuation from the cancarriage, so that' all the parts move in ltimed relation with themovements of the carriage. `From this rezza' arrangement employed in themachine of the present invention the period during which the nozzles arein action is considerably longer thanin former machines and consequentlythe cleansing action is more efhcient andthe number of stations ornozzles can be reduced without lessening the eciency of the ma,- chine.'lhe valves are brought into operation .as the carriage descends, theyare in operation during the whole of the return stroke of the carriage,and they continue in operation during the iirst part of the upwardtravel of the carriage, that is, until the carriage reaches a pointcorresponding to the point at which the valves are opened on thedownward stroke of the carriage. .ln practice the valves are opened atabout the point where the mouths of thecans are lowered over the nozzlesand the valves are shut oil1 as the mouths of the cans are passedupwardly ,beyond the nozzles.

Still another feature of the invent-ion relates to meansfor-depositimu,r the covers on their respective cans. The rovers areadvanced through the machine in the usual manner on a cover runway whichis located at one side of the machine and above the level at which thecans pass through themachine.

After a can has been uprighted it is movedv transversely of thedischarge end of the machine to a position where the cover correspondingtothe can will fall into the open mouth of the can.

The present invention comprises other novel features 'the advantages ofwhich will be pointed out as the description proceeds, the improvedmachine of the invention being .fully described hereinafter andthe novelfeatures thereof being particularlypointed out in the appended claims. f

rlhe preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevationol the intake end of themachine, with certain parts removed in order to show the remaining partsmore clearly; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the discharge end ofthe machine, the section Ming taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 9; Fig. 3 isan enlarged section of the means for washing the bottoms ofthe cans, thesection being taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 9; Fig. t is a transversesection taken on the line loi? the invention relates Figs. 24, 25, 26and 27 are elevations acierta Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on thealine 5-5 of Fig. t; Figs. 6 and 7 taken together are an enlargedelevation of the right hand side of the machine, with the middle sectionmachine, and showing more particularly the arrangement of' the actuatingmeans; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section ta en on the line 11-11 of Fig.12, the view being taken look4 ing in the direction of the arrow marked11 in Fig. 1; Fig. 12 is alon itudinal section taken on the line 12-12of ig. 11, the view being taken looking in the direction of the arrowmarked 12 in Fig. 1; Fi 13 is an enlarged side elevation of one o thevalves (that for controlling the solution nozzle) with its associatedactuating parts; Fig. 14

.is a section taken on the line 14--14 of Fig.

. 13; Fig. 15 is a partial top4 plan showing the arrangement of theparts for actuating v a,

valve when a canis at a. station; Fig. 16 1s a' detail sectionalelevation of one of the valves and of one of the cover spraying heads;Fig..

17 is a lon itudinal section through the `discharge en of the airnozzle' covers, and showing it in relation to a cover;

Fig. 18 is a top plan of the air nozzle for dry No ing the covers; Fig.19 is an enlarged section through .one of the Huid nozzles and showingit inserted up in a can; Fig. .20-is a sectiony vthrough one of thesteam nozzles and showing it with relation to a can aboutto descend overit; Fig. 21 is a longitudinal section through the air nozzle fordrying'the cans and showing it inserted in a can; Fig. 22 is adiagrammaticview of the spray nozzles, of the valves controlling them,and of the sources of the fluid used in treating the cans and covers,the air ducts alone lnot being shown; Fig. 23 is an isometric perstiveof the can transporting frame or carriage; and (Partly in section)of the left hand side of chine illustrating the advance of the cansthrough the machine Fig. 24 shows the parts in the position in which anunwashed can has just been placed in the machine, a washed can has beenuprighted, and the can transporting carriage about to rise; Fig. 25shows the positions of the parts at the end of theupward travel of thecan carriage Fig. 26 shows the positions oi the parts at the end of thecan-advance movementl of the carriage, and Fig. 27 shows the positionsof the parts at the end of the downward travel of the carriage, placingthe cans over the `nozzles for drying the ,l

the present invention, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a. cansupport consisting of two longitudinally arrangedy bars 29 on which thecans are supported in inverted position during the washing, sterilizingVand drying operations. The can-supporting bars 29 are provided with thelegs 31 mounted on the cross pieces 32 supported at their ends from theupright standards 33 forming part of the main or stationary frame of themachine. The bars 29 extend throughout the length of the machine, theright hand end of the bars, viewing Fig. 24, constituting the intake endof the machine, an the left hand end of the bars beingthe point at whichthe cans are uprighted onto the discharge platform indicated at 34. Thespray nozzles for directing the washing, sterilizing and drying fluidsinto the cans extend upwardly from the can supporting bars 29 and arefixed in position between the bars by means of brackets 37. i

The cans 30 are advanced through the inachine from the intake end to thedischarge end thereof and are successively lowered over the nozzles forthe spraying operations by means of atransporting carriage or frameillustrated'as a whole in Fig. 23. The can transporting carriagecomprises two longitudinally extending, oppositely-faced ang-lc bars 35which are spaced apart far enough to support the flanged mouths of theusual. styles of large milk cans. The bars 35 are ysupported o n theinner edges of the transversely arranged pieces 36 which are secured tothe lower edges of the three inner uprights 38V and the three outeruprights '39. The uprights 38 and 39 are held spaced apart by threelongitudinally extending4 angle beams 40, the upper channel iron 41 andthe cross pieces 42, so that the carriage is sufticiently rigid toperform the four-step cycle of movements in transporting or advancingcans through the machine without vibration. The carriage is providedwith the outer guard A plate 44 secured to the inner sides of theuprights 39 and with the inner guard plate 4 5 secured to the innersides of the uprights 38. -The angle irons 46 secured to the inner vsides of the plates 44 and 45 with the apexes of their angles oppositelydisposed extend l 48 and 49-is provided with afour-sided inrack adaptedthroughout the carrlage so as to assist in preventing the cans fromchafiug the plates 44 and during the movements of the carriagerelatively to the cans.

The means for impart-ing the four-step cycle of movements to thecarriage to ad. Vance the cans through the machine and to place the cansover the nozzles comprises two rectangularly-shaped gear frames 48 and49 secured to the under sides Aor the ends of the inner set of anglebeams n40. Each frame the teeth of which constitute a ternal gear -to beengaged by a pinion 51.

lstroke freed from the cans.

The pinions 51 are mounted on the inner -ends of the transverselyarranged shafts 52 of the shafts 52 are mounted the beveled gears 56 inmesh with thepinions 57, one of which is mounted on one endof and theother of which is mounted on the other end of the longitudinallyarranged shaft 58 journaled at its ends in bearings 59 extendingoutwardly from the frames 53. The shaft 5S may be driven from anyconvenient source of power sprocket wheel 60 and chain 6l.

The shaft 58 rotates in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 1, or in acounter-clockwisel direction, viewing Fig.'2. From this it will bereadily understood that while the rotating pinions 5l are in mesh withthe teeth of the upper gear sections 63 theJ can carriage is travelingbackwardly or toward the intake end of the machine, that while thepinions are in engagementwith the gear sections 64 the can carriage isrising or traveling upwardly, that while the pinions ar'e in engagementwith the lower gear sections 65 the can carriage is advancing toward thedischarge end of the machine, and that while the pinions' are inengagement With the gear sections 66 the caucarriage is descending ortraveling downwardly. The travel of the can carriage is substantiallycontinuous, even at the points where it changes its direction of travel.However, the end of the backward movement or travel toward the intakeend of the machine may -be regarded as the point of beginning of thefour-step cycle of movements of the `carriage in transporting the cansthrough the machine. The. carriage travels from the end of its downwardstroke to lthe beginning of its upward During this movement of the cancarriage the cans remain stationary on the can supporting bars 29. Theangle beams 35 of the can carriage deposit the cans on the supportingbars 29 just before the completion of the downward stroke of thecarriage, and the angle beams, 35 re-engage the -cans just after-thebegin vning of the upward .travel of the carriage.

The pinions 51 are heldin proper engagement with the gear sections bymeans of the rolls 68 concentricallyalined 52, respectively, andtraveling in the grooves 69 which are rectangular in outline and areformed in the rear sides of the gear frames 48and 49, as best shown in-Figs. 24 to 27 and also in Figs. 4 and 10. The rolls 68 are mounted inthe journals 70 resting on the lon'. gitudinally extending angle -irons71 supported at their ends on cross pieces 32. The, gear frames 48and.49 are guided in their and for this purpose is provided `with a withthe shafts y

